I like to read various things on Facebook, and one day discussion about Harry Potter on Fantasy-Faction – Fantasy and Science Fiction Book Discussion caught my attention. In short, the author of the original post really bashed J.K Rowling’s writing for plot holes and infantile narration but what made me laugh was a statement
‘Most of the issues would be solved by a simple conversation.’
In a way, she was right. A simple conversation could solve most of the literature and real world issues. A simple conversation could solve the war, family feuds, failed marriages, etc.
Whole Jane Austin prose could be squeezed into a couple short stories if people voice their real feelings. Ilona Andrews and Patricia Brigg’s books we based on miscommunication between the protagonist couple, not to mention the whole genre of Chinese historical TV series.
The thing is, people rarely are open about their feelings, and even if you communicate them, it doesn’t mean it will solve the conflict. I read through most of the comments in this discussion, and I must admit, as an author, I felt relieved that many readers shared my opinion. YA and children’s fantasy is not my genre, and I’m not jumping into the defence of the Harry Potter series here because I didn’t even read it, but if J K Rowling managed to sell millions of books not having a crisis-solving simple conversation safe to say she was doing the right thing in her books.
On a separate note – tomorrow is my birthday, so boo getting older, not necessarily wiser and definitely less tolerant of the issues of the world. And I intend to get very naughty celebrating it.